On Wednesday night, as first responders recovered the remains of Staff Sergeant Ryan O’Hara from the Potomac River, a probationary firefighter and former Marine noticed the soldier’s uniform and took it upon himself to stand guard.
O’Hara was crew chief on an Army Blackhawk helicopter that collided with an airliner landing at Reagan National Airport. For several hours, probationary Firefighter and former Marine Sean Wathen remained by O’Hara’s side until military personnel arrived to relieve him and complete a dignified transfer of O’Hara’s body, NBC Washington reports.
Wathen has been with DC Fire and EMS for seven months. His act of respect deeply moved O’Hara’s family.
“One thing that I did want to say and thank is all those first responders, the people that sacrificed themselves to jump into that ice cold water to go through the plane and the wreckage, that retrieved our son.” Gary O’Hara, the staff sergeant’s father, told the television station. “Thank you. There are no words to express our thanks for that.”
